There are a number of alternative systems currently used to discharge bars downstream of a rolling-mill, once they have been cut to length ({fraction (6/12)} m) at an on-the-fly cutting station, also known as a flying shear, which works in conjunction with a deviation device which deviates the bar onto a slow-down and discharge runner or, as an alternative, deviates the successive bar onto a parallel runner adjacent to the first one.
The runner-type devices have a series of devices for stopping the bar upstream of the runner and after the said deviator, which grip the tail of the bar and slow it down when it enters into the runner, in order to halt its longitudinal advancement and to let it be discharged laterally onto equipment for successive treatment, such as a cooling bed, a collecting bag where the bundle of bars is then tied, etc.
A well-known system is described in the Italian Patent Request No UD98A000085, also presented by SIMAC.
These well-known solutions have limitations regarding their performance and, as stated, and especially in the case of high-speed plants (50 m/sec), need to have devices for slowing the bars down which make the equipment rather complicated, increase its complexity and requires a high amount of maintenance.
The aim of this invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks and to increase the overall performance of the plant.
This and other aims are achieved by applying the invention described.
In this way, thanks to the use of an integrated runner, slow-down and discharge system within one single system, the entire plant is more functional and reliable.
Finally, with this system, by installing an on-line cooling or heat-treatment station, the bars may be bundled together and packed at the exit side of the system without having to go through other cooling systems, such as a cooling bed, or handling and length-cutting means.
This means that the rolling plant is very compact and more economical.
The invention is mainly applied to the production of corrugated iron rods or corrugated bars, but may also be used for other profiles by using special channeling on the counter-facing drums.
These and other advantages will be highlighted in the following detailed description of preferred solutions and relative illustrations, the details of which are to be considered simply examples and not limitations.